This flavorful Instant Pot chicken tortilla soup is an easy weeknight meal that you'll fix again and again. We love the pressure cooker for this soup because the prep is minimal and it takes just minutes to cook. Aside from a few minutes to sauté the onions and peppers, there is very little hands-on cooking time required. To save on prep time, slice and chop all of the vegetables the day before or earlier in the day and then refrigerate everything until it's time to cook.

Garnishes give the soup extra flavor and color. Top each serving off with some cilantro and shredded cheese or add diced avocado, lime wedges, or a dollop of sour cream. Make homemade tortilla strips or serve with purchased tortilla chips for a nice crunch.

Steps to Make It

Gather the ingredients.

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Select the Instant Pot sauté button and add the oil. When the display reads hot, add the chopped onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Sauté the vegetables in the hot oil for 3 to 4 minutes or until the onion is softened.

Secure the lid and make sure the valve is in the sealing position. Choose pressure cook or manual (high pressure), and set the timer for 8 minutes. When the time is up, let the pressure come down naturally for 10 minutes, and then move the valve to the venting position to release the remaining pressure.

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Remove the chicken to a plate and shred it with two forks.

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Return the shredded chicken to the pot along with the lime juice and chopped cilantro. Taste the soup and season with salt and pepper, as needed.

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Garnish each serving with tortilla strips or chips and serve along with lime wedges, shredded cheese, diced avocados, extra cilantro, or sour cream.

Diana Rattray

Tips

When chopping cilantro for a recipe, it's okay to include the tender upper stems. Unlike bitter parsley stems, cilantro stems are as flavorful as the leaves.

If the recipe makes too much for your family, you can freeze the leftovers. Let the soup cool, then freeze it—without the tortilla chips—in freezer bags or covered containers. Defrost the soup in the refrigerator or use your microwave oven's defrost setting.